Discussions By Condition: Ears, Nose, Mouth & Throat conditions

Food getting caught in throat

Hi, I am also new to this site. I am 22 years old, and for the past seven months, when I eat, pieces of food get stuck in the throat. I can actually "hawk" them up or just keep swallowing. Anyway, it only seems to get bad when I really notice it. For a couple months I just kind of blew it off and didn't think much about it. One month ago I decided to look it up online, and all kinds of results pointed to a possibility of cancer!! There is no pain involved... And for two months I have had a swollen lymph node I am assuming in front of my right ear. It creates pressure on my jaw when I press it. I also found swollen glands behind my jaw bone on my left side... Has anyone ever experienced

22 Replies:

Yes, I have had the same thing for 11 months. My food coming up are tiny bits mixed with post nasal drip at times. Even an hour after I eat. They are very teeny tiny pieces. I also suffer from a dry throat. Went to Dr. today and she wants scan of neck and thyroid as she seems to think my thyroid looks enlarged. I am a wreck waiting for the test two weeks from now. I have lots of throat gurgling after swallowing too. Do you have throat gurgling? I, like you, scare myself to death reading bad info on the internet, but I can't help myself. I want to be informed.

No, I don't get gurgling afterwards. When it first started, I could swallow just fine, but a small piece of whatever I ate would still be there. I just assumed that maybe pockets have formed in my throat. A month ago I decided to get online to see what it might be, and I am still not sure. Ever since then, it seems like things have just gotten worse. I don't know if I am just literally making my symptoms worse because I think about it so much now, and I am very worried.. When I went in to see a doctor, he said there's a lot of sinus drainage running down my throat, which could cause inflammation. I don't know about that, though. Would that cause swollen lymph nodes around my ears? I am going in Wednesday to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, and then Thursday I have an appointment for an endoscopy procedure to look at my esophagus. I'll let you know what they say. When I feel around on my neck, I feel a little inflammation with tenderness when I press on it.What do you think a large thyroid would indicate? if you suffer from a dry throat, it might have something to do with your saliva glands...

Also, you know, there can be MANY different reasons for difficulty swallowing. I don't know how old you are, but honestly, the chances of me getting cancer in my throat or esophagus at the age of 22 aren't very likely. Unfortunately, I have been a heavy drinker for the past 3 years... I don't really have problems with food going down my esophagus.. It seems to be at the top of my throat somewhere... I remember about 3 months ago I felt like I had something stuck in my throat, and I just kept swallowing over and over, and it felt like something "released", and I could taste bitterness. I know that's gross, but I wonder if I do actually have some sort of infected pockets or something... I don't know.. I have literally been completely depressed lately thinking I am dying already... Hopefully that's not the case.

Good luck at the Dr. At least you are having the right tests. Relax, at your age, it is highly unlikely that it is anything really bad. It is good to get it checked out. Please let me know how you make out with your tests. Pockets can develop in the throat; Zenker's Diverticulum being one, but usually there is throat gurgling (which I have) along with the food getting caught. This usually happens to 60+ age group, but can happen younger. I'm nowhere near that age, but have heard that, although rare, it can happen. Unless you have the gurgling, it doesn't sound like a diverticulm. Do you still have your tonsils? Perhaps it's getting caught back there in crypts. Not quite sure how the thyroid plays in, but if they don't find anything, I'm going for the same tests you are getting. Good luck and keep me posted.

Thanks! I had my tonsils removed 8 years ago. Growing up, they were so large that I could make them touch each other!! That was very abnormal, and they never went down. I wonder if I just have some sort of inflammation problem altogether. Who knows? Why sit here and try to diagnose myself anymore? I'm going to be seen in two days, and I'm sure lab work will be necessary for diagnosing, but I don't know that either. You know, cancer of the esophagus usually occurs in men over the age of 60, more seen in African Americans rather than whites. I am not a man, and I am white, and I am young, so.. I feel like if it is minor, this is a huge wake up call, and I need to definitely take better care of myself. I have honestly never been this sick about something in my life.. Isn't this annoying? I mean, it makes me dread eating! I'm driving my husband nuts every time we eat, and I get food stuck.. I just tell him, hey, it's not as annoying for you as it is for me..But, anyway... Hopefully this is something that can be fixed for the both of us. I will let you know the doctors say. Do you have any pain or burning? Acid Reflux? Let me know what they tell you, too. Also, thanks for the feedback. It makes me feel better knowing that I'm not the only one experiencing this.

I drive my husband nuts too! He just keeps telling me to get it checked out, which I am doing. I still have my tonsils. Perhaps your's have formed scar tissue and it is getting caught there?? Do you have reflux or heartburn? They can tell a lot when you get the endoscopy. I had one 10 years ago and it does not hurt. They found a slight hiatal hernia. This may be my problm again. After the endo you just want to sleep afterwards. It makes you really tired. My problem is almost every meal too. I started 11 months ago with heartburn/reflux and went to the Dr. I was put on Protonix and that helped the heartburn immediately...it's been gone ever since! But the dry throat and soreness remain, along with pieces of food getting caught, like you (when I swallow, having to swallow a few times to get the crumbs down), and also coming back up in my post nasal drip an hour later (tiny pieces) (sorry...I know it's really is gross). It usually happens with dry food, like pretzels and bagels. My throat will gurgle even with water sometimes. I can swallow food fine so it's not getting stuck like when some people eat steak and it sits there, it's just feels like it's leaving debris behind, I think. Let me know how you make out. I'm sure it's nothing really bad. I know if they find problems when they do the endoscopy, they can repair it at the same time. You are having the right tests. I try to calm myself with the same info you found, over 60 and male. Please keep me informed and good luck with your tests.

It's not cancer!! Thank God! The ears, nose, and throat doctor told me people my age don't get that kind of cancer.. he told me I seriously need to stop worrying about that, and he thought that it might be some sort of hernia in my throat. I forgot the actual name, but he said an endoscopy would not show it; only a barium swallow x-ray would... So, I still went in for my endoscopy, and the very top of my esophagus (in my throat) is inflamed. There's no cancer anywhere, which is great! The doctor said inflammation would be caused from acid reflux, which I do get occasionally, or it is caused from sinus drainage.So... I will find out the results from my X-ray this week. I really just feel completely blessed! I am so happy and stress-free. I know assuming it was cancer was a little far-fetched. But.... It's just good to know that's not what it is..So, I bet your problem is probably something similar to mine or something that the doctors would suspect my problem could be... Good luck to you! Let me know how your results come out.

I'm so happy things turned out okay for you. I knew they would. What a relief you must feel! It's worth the tests to know for sure! Let me know how you make out with the x-ray, as I think I have that problem too. I don't know why my doctor wants and ultrasound of the outside of my throat and lymph gland of the neck first, but I'll let you know how that turns out. After that I'm going to get a referral to ENT as I have the same food getting caught and suspect it is a diverticulum or hernia as I get acid reflux too. This all started almost a year ago for me when I was lifting weights and the health club. I think I may have did something then. Thanks for keeping me posted and Congrats on the good news!

Thanks! Yeah, that's what he thought it was, a diverticulum.. I think that's what he had said. I still have not heard anything about my X-ray. Hmm... I called the office, and if the doctor does not call me, then they are supposed to send a letter saying everything is normal. So, I'm kind of confused. Are they going to fix the problem or just recognize the problem without doing anything about it? Just knowing that I am not yet dying kind of fixes it for me mentally. It's funny because since I am not worried about it, the problem doesn't seem as severe as it was before. My acid reflux is not that bad. I just get it occasionally.You know, if you're not a heavy drinker/smoker then it's something minor.. I just wish that people would post the MOST LIKELY results of this problem online rather than throwing out the worst case scenario, you know? It's like after reading online trying to diagnose myself, I literally BELIEVED that I had cancer. And most of the time, these symptoms are not anything severe. I made myself literally sick for a month straight. The lesson learned is to make sure and take better care of my health so that doesn't happen and also when something is wrong with my health, it's impossible to diagnose myself from what the internet says. Good luck to you, and keep me posted. Have they not done an X-ray on you yet? It seems like that'd be the first step or an endoscopy.

Let me know of your results. Yes, endoscopy would be what I expected to have, but she wants a thyroid scan first. It's on Friday. Yes, I have myself dying here too, even though I'm not a smoker/drinker. The worse case senario is always on the internet. I will demand an ENT and endo after this. They are also going to do an ultrasound of the neck to see if any lymph glands are swollen. I have been having and extremely dry throat more reflux lately, but it could be becasue I am stressed about it like you were. I can live with it if I know it's not life threatening and doing more damage to my throat. If they find a diverticulum, I don't think they do anything unless it's real bad and causing symptoms. Good luck and let me know of your results.

I think the tests they are running are kind of strange. You think they'd be looking for the things that are most likely going on. My x-ray results are normal. So, I am assuming it's just from inflammation. If you don't drink or smoke, you seriously have nothing to worry about. Really.. There's no way you would have something life-threatening because you wouldn't even be a person at risk. Keep me posted..I bet you have the same thing I have. Good luck!

alcohol irritates the gullet.it becomes sore and it takes longer for food to go down.it can go into spasm.the foods most likely to provoke a spasm are fish and bread.,especially if they are the first thing you have eaten on a particular day.such a spasm can last many minutes,and in some cases may be resolved only by coughing or vomiting the food back up.if you keep drinking,it will get worse.such a case is known as "barratts oesophagus"it is usually irreversible and is a precursor to cancer.this is a bad cancer to get.treatment is very unpleasant and death is certain.if you want to try to confine the misery and despair of alcohol to merely those around you,stick to beer or take lots of water with it.alcohol ,beyond a few glasses of wine a week,is a false friend,it will just get you in another way.,after it has finished destroying your home, family,friendships, finances and career.take up smoking instead .that only kills half of those who do it, without killing the soul first.

I know this post is old... but this kind of information never does.. anyways.. I have had the same thing for just about 8 month my self.. no pain, swollen glands most of the time.. always felt something stuck in my throat, when I burp it was a wet sorta burp some times even food came up... I got it checked out finally because I said to my self "If it is cancer than I guess I better threat it, and try to live as long as I can to take care of my beautiful 7 year old son" so I went to this doctor (as specified on this threads title) he stuck a long wire with a tiny light on it.. down my nose and in my throat to see what it was.. "I was so afraid". thank god he stated that it was not cancer.. there are no signs of cancer and that I had sinus drainage and might have acid reflux as well.. so now I am going to get X-rayed for acid reflux and hope for the best =-) feels good to know what it is after a long time of wait.

I have a large confirmed Zenker's Diverticulum (3 inch diameter on Swallow Test) that is causing recurrunt aspiration pneumonia and high temperatures (106-107). I need to have the operation, but have two concernes. 1) Which method - Traditional, Laser, Staples and 2) Who is the most experienced person to perform the resection in the NorthEast US? Any Help would be greatly appreciated

I to have been having problems like this,and i am so scared,everything i eat goes down fine,but about an hour later it feels like food is hung in my throat,i have had acid reflux,and i also had a bad sinus infection,well my doctor has me on carafate,she says i might be having spasms in my esouphogus,and i take this an hour before i eat,and it is suppose to coat my throat,so food will go down easier,but i have been taking for 6 days and it might be a little better,but i might just want to believe that it is,because i don't want them to have to run the scope down me,all i do know is this is aweful,i have not had a decent meal in over 2 weeks.

I too have frequently gotten food stuck in my throat as well....Its been doing this for awhile.Every once in awhile i gets lodged and is stuck to the point where there is pain at the middle of my throat from it being lodged..I begin to drink water to push it down but it usually makes it worse to where i loose the air passage and then vomit up the water and partial food. No matter how much i chew no matter what it is i always feel as if it starts to catch then goes downor it catches, one or the other....Take tonight for instance....(This is a little graphic and sick) .....I ate dinner got chicken lodged my wife almost begin the Heimlich until i caught some wind..I went into the bathroom and drink water and puked up little bits of chicken for atleast 10-20 minutes....Got to the point where most of it was gonna stay lodged so i just gave up cause atleast i could breath and as im typing this it is still lodged in my throat right about my chest area.

I had the same problem! First of all, my mouth gets so dry and so does my throat, that without eating, just swallowing saliva, I'd have a hard time. Then , when it came to eating, I really couldn't get food down easily. I'd have to drink water or something while going to swallow to get it down. I chew gum regularly and brush my teeth a lot more. It's helped. I, too had a barium enema xray and they said my esophogus was a bit inflamed, probably from the food not going down right. I think my condition worsens when I think about it, so I distract myself at times. If you ever find the cure to this bizarre condition, please...share with me!

Hi, I am also new to this site. I am 22 years old, and for the past seven months, when I eat, pieces of food get stuck in the throat. I can actually "hawk" them up or just keep swallowing. Anyway, it only seems to get bad when I really notice it. For a couple months I just kind of blew it off and didn't think much about it. One month ago I decided to look it up online, and all kinds of results pointed to a possibility of cancer!! There is no pain involved... And for two months I have had a swollen lymph node I am assuming in front of my right ear. It creates pressure on my jaw when I press it. I also found swollen glands behind my jaw bone on my left side... Has anyone ever experienced1.) food getting stuck in throat without canceror2.) Swollen lymph nodes without cancer or sickness?? I'm literally driving myself crazy here!!my son is 36 and it was a pollup. it took a few min. to remove.

you need to get the lymph nodes checked by the doc. i had a swollen lymph node in my neck and just got diagnosed with hodgkins lymphoma. i also have been noticing that when i eat i get food stuck in my throat. sorry to scare you....but go to doctor and get that checked

thanks for your posts, my symptoms are similar. I have been getting acid reflux and now have the problem of food getting stuck in the top of my throat. it's very uncomfortable. From reading your posts i think my problems could be similar to yours. the acid reflux could be causing the throat to swell? I'm booking an appointment with my gp now to get it properly diagnosed.If i do have the hernia problem what are my options?? Are you now getting treatment for yours?